Dentures -your experience please

meanhound

After years of battling with my own teeth, I fear I'm nearing the stage where I'll need dentures. I've looked online and my choice seems to be the normal dentures or a type that clicks onto implants that are placed in the gum.
Since my teens, I'm now 49, I've been plagued by teeth that develop cavities overnight (genetic I'm told) and the fact I'm a champion grinder doesn't help. All my back teeth bar one are gone and I'm down to 7 teeth and 1 crown on the top and 8 teeth and 1 crown on the bottom. The crowns look ridiculous as the teeth have deteriorated around them but my dentist doesn't want to risk replacing them as we're not sure how they've managed to survive this long.
He did refer me to a specialist dentist who gave me a rough estimation of £20,000. He proposed to crown existing teeth and place implants in the back of my mouth to take the pressure away from my front teeth. I can't afford this amount which he understood but did warn me not to be talked into the cheaper option of crowning the visible front teeth as without back teeth to take the pressure of eating and grinding it would be a waste of money. Basically my option was to keep patching until that was no longer an option and then get dentures.
The thing is I'm sick to death of losing bits of teeth/fillings and having to go around for days trying not to smile or speak to people, I'm considering getting them out now and just getting the dentures. All dentists advise me to keep my own teeth for a long as I can so I'm wondering if any of you have been in the same situation? Have you had all your teeth removed and replaced with dentures and are you glad you did or sorry you didn't stick with your natural teeth?

Fishorsealant

Well there is no replacement as good as a natural tooth. Teeth that are worth saving are worth saving.

Patients generally don't adapt well going from partially dentate -> edentate/no-teeth with no prior denture experience.

What can help some is the concept of transitional dentures.
Start with a partial to get denture experience and some adaptation and gradually progress to fulls.

Conventional lower full dentures are poorly tolerated by many..

At the same time implant retained dentures won't feel like your original teeth either but they are better tolerated.

Either way you need a treatment plan that you are happy to engage with.

meanhound

Thank you Fishorsealant I'd originally been advised that a partial denture wouldn't suit as my bite is too strong and I'd likely break it but I will discuss the option again. I'm able to get loads of information online re treatments but very little regarding people's own experience, I was hoping that I might get that here before I make up my mind

btkm8unsl0w5r4

OP I dont wear a denture myself, but I have fitted literally hundreds for patients and have seen a wide gamut of success and issues.

Most people are really adaptable and can get used to most things so long as they have a positive demeanour.

Implants are a better option, even if they are only there to help support a denture, but economics are a factor for most people. Also at the back of the mouth the ammount of bone is usually less than ideal.

The dentist can fit you with cheaper temporary dentures to try out the case before finalizing it with chrome dentures. This gives you an idea without the major expense. You might look into that.

Your dentists assessment that back teeth are necessary is one that I generally hold very true as well. It sounds like you are in good hands.

Dianthus

There has to be another, perhaps sub-optimal & with its own limitations, but still *reasonably* functional& acceptable, solution to your dental issue other than a €20k overhaul.
Speak with the prosthodontist again& ask for other options. Ask for copies of your xrays/scans.
Maybe then meet with another prosthodontist for a 2nd opinion. Or even seek a 3rd opinion. It's going to be a huge decision& quite specific to your own clinical presentation. Researching online is grand; but if you attend a cardiologist or transplant surgeon, you put yourself in their hands to an extent. At the end of the day, all you really want (or need) to know is "Time? Cost? Success rates? Pros& cons?". Everything else is just noise.
Extracting ALL your teeth& fitting full dentures immediately will take a fair bit of adaptation & adjustment. Kind of akin to amputating your legs& forcing you to walk with wooden stumps. It's do-able but not particularly comfortable.
Realistically if you're a heavy grinder you're going to have a high wear/replacement rate whatever option you choose.

meanhound

Cayson Gifted Anchor wrote: »

OP I dont wear a denture myself, but I have fitted literally hundreds for patients and have seen a wide gamut of success and issues.

Most people are really adaptable and can get used to most things so long as they have a positive demeanour.

Implants are a better option, even if they are only there to help support a denture, but economics are a factor for most people. Also at the back of the mouth the ammount of bone is usually less than ideal.

The dentist can fit you with cheaper temporary dentures to try out the case before finalizing it with chrome dentures. This gives you an idea without the major expense. You might look into that.

Your dentists assessment that back teeth are necessary is one that I generally hold very true as well. It sounds like you are in good hands.

Thank you Fitzgeme, I've come across some of your work when I was searching through Boards for a relevant thread, very impressed!
I hadn't considered implants to support a denture so I will bear that in mind.

meanhound

Dianthus wrote: »

There has to be another, perhaps sub-optimal & with its own limitations, but still *reasonably* functional& acceptable, solution to your dental issue other than a €20k overhaul.
Speak with the prosthodontist again& ask for other options. Ask for copies of your xrays/scans.
Maybe then meet with another prosthodontist for a 2nd opinion. Or even seek a 3rd opinion. It's going to be a huge decision& quite specific to your own clinical presentation. Researching online is grand; but if you attend a cardiologist or transplant surgeon, you put yourself in their hands to an extent. At the end of the day, all you really want (or need) to know is "Time? Cost? Success rates? Pros& cons?". Everything else is just noise.
Extracting ALL your teeth& fitting full dentures immediately will take a fair bit of adaptation & adjustment. Kind of akin to amputating your legs& forcing you to walk with wooden stumps. It's do-able but not particularly comfortable.
Realistically if you're a heavy grinder you're going to have a high wear/replacement rate whatever option you choose.

Thank you Dianthus, I have made a appointment to see another what I would call dentist who specialises in this type of work, I see the correct term is prosthodontist. And yes my main concern is whatever I get done I'm likely to have the same issue as I did with my own teeth somewhere down the line which is partly why I figured dentures was my best bet, once I take them out I can't damage them!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

meanhound wrote: »

tly why I figured dentures was my best bet, once I take them out I can't damage them!

But when they are not in they are not protecting your front teeth????

Sgg

Cayson Gifted Anchor wrote: »

But when they are not in they are not protecting your front teeth????

Hi I hope you don't mind me messaging you , I am in the same situation with my teeth also genetic, can I ask what did you do, did you go for a denture